The invention relates generally to machines used to crimp fittings on flexible high-pressure hose and the like. More specifically, the invention relates to crimping machines that use a split crimp cage and anvil which, when brought together, actuate a plurality of crimping dies to a predetermined crimp diameter on the fitting.
Split crimping machines for crimping fittings on flexible hose assemblies are well known. A typical example of such a crimper is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,731,518 issued to Blocher. Split crimpers have an advantage over radial crimpers in that odd-shaped hose assemblies can still be crimped whereas radial crimpers permit only axial assemblies (end to end) to be crimped.
A significant disadvantage, however, of the Blocher type crimper is that the crimp is only concentric at the final desired crimp diameter. At points of overcrimp and undercrimp the fitting is not concentrically formed. This feature severely limits the useful degree of overcrimping. Previous split crimpers also used crimping dies of variant length resulting in greater complexity and increased manufacturing cost.